Co-infections of malaria and geohelminthiasis in two rural communities of Nkassomo and Vian in the Mfou health district, Cameroon.

• Published in: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: Francis Zeukeng, Viviane Hélène Matong Tchinda, Jude Daiga Bigoga, Clovis Hugues Tiogang Seumen, Edward Shafe Ndzi, Géraldine Abonweh, Valérie Makoge, Amédée Motsebo, Roger Somo Moyou
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic; Vian
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003236; https://doaj.org/article/112fc5a953314befa0b82ce6f7457422

Background Human co-infection with malaria and helmimths is ubiquitous throughout Africa. Nevertheless, its public health significance on malaria severity remains poorly understood. Methodology/principal findings To contribute to a better understanding of epidemiology and control of this co-infection in Cameroon, a cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence of concomitant intestinal geohelminthiasis and malaria, and to evaluate its association with malaria and anaemia in Nkassomo and Vian. Finger prick blood specimens from a total of 263 participants aged 1-95 years were collected for malaria microscopy, assessment of haemoglobin levels, and molecular identification of Plasmodium species by PCR. Fresh stool specimens were also collected for the identification and quantification of geohelminths by the Kato-Katz method. The prevalence of malaria, geohelminths, and co-infections were 77.2%, 28.6%, and 22.1%, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum was the only malaria parasite species identified with mean parasite density of 111 (40; 18,800) parasites/µl of blood. The geohelminths found were Ascaris lumbricoides (21.6%) and Trichuris trichiura (10.8%), with mean parasite densities of 243 (24; 3,552) and 36 (24; 96) eggs/gram of faeces, respectively. Co-infections of A. lumbricoides and P. falciparum were the most frequent and correlated positively. While no significant difference was observed on the prevalences of single and co-infections between the two localities, there was a significant difference in the density of A. lumbricoides infection between the two localities. The overall prevalence of anaemia was 42%, with individuals co-infected with T. trichiura and P. falciparum (60%) being the most at risk. While the prevalence of malaria and anaemia were inversely related to age, children aged 5-14 years were more susceptible to geohelminthiasis and their co-infections with malaria. Conclusion/significance Co-existence of geohelminths and malaria parasites in Nkassomo and Vian enhances the ...